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Then no more was said in the boat until the float
was reached, although each occupant was busy with
his thoughts. Clausen was helped, pale and shaking,
to his room, and West and Joel, accompanied by several
of their schoolmates, trotted away to the gymnasium,
where Joel was put through an invigorating bath and
a subsequent rubbing that left him none the worse
for his adventure. The story had to be told over
and over to each new group that came in after practice,
and finally the two friends escaped to West’s
room, where they discussed the affair from the view-point
of participants.

“When I got back to the bluff with the other
fellows you weren’t to be seen, Joel,”
West was saying, “and I thought it was all up
with poor old Joel March.”

“That’s just what I thought a bit later,”
responded Joel, “when that fellow had me round
the neck and was trying to show me the bottom of the
river.”

“And then, when they brought you in, Whipple
and Christie, and you were all white and—­and
ghastly like, you know”—­Outfield West
whistled long and expressively—­“then
I thought you were a goner.”

Joel nodded. “And Cloud?” he asked
presently.

“Cloud has settled himself,” responded
West. “When he thought Clausen was drowning
he just cut and ran—­I mean swam—­to
shore. The fellows are madder than hornets.
As Whipple said, you can’t insist on a fellow
saving another fellow from drowning, but you can insist
on his not running away. They’re planning
to show Cloud what they think of him, somehow.
They wouldn’t talk about it while I was around.
I wonder why?” Outfield stopped suddenly and
frowned perplexedly. “Why, a month or six
weeks ago I would have been one of the first they would
have asked to help! I’m afraid it’s
associating with you, Joel. You’re corrupting
me! Say, didn’t I make a mess of it this
afternoon? I got about ten yards off the beach
and just had to give up and pull back—­and
pull hard. Blessed if I didn’t begin to
wonder once if I’d make it! The fact is,
Joel, I’m an awful dab at swimming. And
I ought to be punched for letting you go out there
all alone.”

“Nonsense, Out! You couldn’t help
getting tired, especially if you aren’t much
of a swimmer. And now you speak of it I remember
you saying once that you couldn’t—­”
Joel stopped short and looked at West in wondering
amazement. And West grew red and his eyes sought
the floor, and for almost a minute there was silence
in the room. Then Joel arose and stood over the
other lad with shining eyes.

“Out,” he muttered huskily, “you’re
a brick!”

West made no reply, but his feet shuffled nervously
on the hearth.

“To think of you starting out there after me!
Why, you’re the—­the hero, Out; not
me at all!”